St Valentine – legend

February 14, 2008

Year 270 A.D, Rome is in full decadence and help is little to prevent the Empire apart. At emperor Claudius III, who knows what is played on the battlefield, given for thinking that married men pay less because they are emotionally attached to their families and singles are better soldiers. So prohibits marriage.

Of course, the news was not well received. Valentine, a Christian bishop decides to complain in their own way and secretly begins to unite in holy marriage to couples of young lovers who came to the church.

When the emperor discovered what makes Valentine detain and try to convince them to renounce Christianity and neither gets condemned to die. During the last weeks of his life, something amazing happened. The jailer, having seen that Valentine was a man of letters, requested permission to bring her daughter, Julia, to receive lessons from it. Julia, who had been blind since birth, was a beaufiful young and agile mind. Valentine read her stories of the Roman history, he taught arithmetic and told her of God.

She saw the world through the eyes of Valentine, relied on his wisdom and found support in his quiet strength.

-“Valentine, it is true that God hears our prayers?” Julia asked him one day. -“Yes, my girl. Heard each and every one of our prayers”, responded Valentine. -“Do you know what I ask God every night and every morning?” -“Prayer that you can see. Your strong desire is to see everything that I told you”, Valentine replied. “God always does what is best for us, if we believe in Him”. -“Oh, Valentine, I believe”, said Julia with great intensity.

She kneel and pressed the hand of Valentine. They sat side by side, each in prayer. Suddenly, a bright light illuminated the cell in the prison. Radiant, Julia exclaimed: -“Valentine, I can see, I can see!” -“Glory to God!”, exclaimed Valentine.

On the eve of his deadth, Valentine wrote a final letter to Julia asking to remain close to God and signed “From Your Valentine”, thus initiating the tradition of sending messages of love.

He was executed the following day, February 14 in the year 270, near a door that later was appointed Gate Valentine to honor his memory. He was buried in what is now the Church of Praxedes in Rome.

It is reported that Julia Almond planted a pink flower next to his tomb. Today, the almond tree is a symbol of love and lasting friendship.